Fuel rails for fuel-injected engines typically include tubular structures having multiple fuel injector receptacles referred to as injector cups. Fuel injectors are installed into the injector cups and are operated for injecting fuel into the combustion chambers of an engine. For example, each fuel injector may be associated with a respective combustion chamber of the engine. Further, each fuel injector may be in fluid communication with an interior of the fuel rail through a port in the injector cup. The fuel in the interior of the fuel rail may be maintained under high pressure. The fuel injectors are opened and closed in timing with the reciprocation of the engine to inject fuel into the respective combustion chambers at a desired time.
Because the fuel in the fuel rail is maintained under high pressure, it is desirable for the fuel injectors to be securely mounted to the fuel rail. Further, precise injector orientation may be desired for proper engine operation and emissions control. Conventional injector mounting techniques may allow an injector to rotate in the fuel rail assembly, such as during shipping, e.g., from being bumped, shaken, dropped, or the like. For instance, if an injector is rotated away from its specified position, the pattern and orientation at which fuel is sprayed into the combustion chamber may change, resulting in engine performance anomalies.